Bone Pathology Flashcards
Secondary
Bone Tumors
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Metastatic tumors
- Most frequent malignant tumors found in bone
- Predominant occurrence in adults > 40 yrs and children in first decade of life
- Multifocal
- Predilection for the marrow in the axial skeleton (vertebrae, pelvis, ribs and cranium) and proximal long bones
- Tumors resulting from contiguous spread of adjacent soft tissue neoplasms
Metastatic Origins
Most common malignancies producing skeletal metastases:
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Adults:
- Prostate, breast, kidney, and lung
- Thyroid and colon cancers
- Melanoma
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Children:
- Neuroblastoma
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Retinoblastoma
Osteoarticular System
Primary Tumors
- Relatively uncommon ⇒ 2,400 cases of primary bone sarcoma/year in US
- Benign tumors more common
- Occur mostly in the first three decades of life
- Clinical hx including age, location of tumor and radiological data are very important to diagnosis
Most Common
Benign Tumors
- Osteochondroma
- Non-ossifying fibroma
- Enchondroma
Most Common
Malignant Tumors
Excluding malignant neoplasms of marrow origin:
- Osteosarcoma
- Chondrosarcoma
- Ewings sarcoma
Bone Tumors
Features
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Some able to dedifferentiate
- eg., enchondroma or a low-grade chondrosarcoma transforming into a high-grade sarcoma
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Tendency of high-grade sarcomas to arise in damaged bone
- Sites of bone infarcts
- Radiation osteitis
- Paget’s disease
Primary Bone Tumor
Classifications
Age of Onset
Predominant occurrence in first 3 decades of life
Common Tumors
Ages 0-10
Common Tumors
Ages 10-20
Common Tumors
Ages 20-40
Common Tumors
Ages 40+
Bone Tumor
Frequent Locations
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Distal femur and proximal tibia most common
- Both benign and malignant
- Bones with highest growth rate
- Many lesions favor certain bones or sites
Bone Tumors
Location Preference
Bone Tumors
Imaging Studies
- Most bone tumors have relatively specific radiographic presentations
- In some cases, dx can be confidently made based on radiographic features alone
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Can provide clues about clinical behavior
- Estimate tumor growth rate
- Expansive or infiltrative growth patterns characteristic of locally aggressive and malignant tumors
- Modalities:
- Plain Radiograph
- CT
- MRI ⇒ method of choice for local staging
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Bone Scintigraphy ⇒ highly sensitive but relatively non-specific
- Main role in detection of suspected metastases in the whole skeleton
Bone Tumors
Radiologic Features
Radiographic examination should answer the following questions:
- Location
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Type of bone (flat, tubular)
- If long bone affected ⇒ where lesion is centered
- Cortex or medulla
- Epiphysis, metaphysis or diaphysis
- If long bone affected ⇒ where lesion is centered
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Underlying bone abnormality (eg., bone infarct, Paget’s disease)
- High-grade sarcomas tend to arise in damaged bone
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Multifocality
- Malignant > benign
- Benign lesions tend to show symmetrical distribution
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Well-defined margin, rim of sclerotic bone?
- Presence strongly suggests a benign non-growing or slow growing lesion
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Cortical expansion or destruction?
- Findings seen with locally aggressive or malignant tumors
- Periosteal reaction and, if so, of what type
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Patterns of Mineralization (calcification or ossification)
- Helpful in identification of bone-producing and cartilage producing tumors
- Is there a soft tissue mass?
Periosteal Reactions
- Periosteum responds to traumatic stimuli or pressure from an underlying growing tumor by depositing new bone
- Radiographic appearance of response reflects the degree of aggressiveness of the tumor
Benign and Non/Slow-Growing
Lesions
- Well-circumscribed and shows a geographic pattern of bone destruction with a sclerotic rim
- Slow-growing tumors provoke focal cortical thickening ⇒ solid periosteal reaction or “buttress”
Rapidly Growing
Lesions
- May still show a well-demarcated zone of bone destruction (geographic pattern) but will lack a sclerotic rim
- With continued growth, may show cortical expansion
- Periosteal reactions include:
- Codman’s triangle ⇒ elevation of periosteum to a significant degree, forming an acute angle
- “Onion-skinning” ⇒ seen in Ewing sarcoma
- Spiculated “hair-on-end” appearance due to periosteal new bone formation
Osteoid
Malignant osteoid can be recognized radiologically as cloud-like or ill-defined amorphous densities with haphazard mineralization
Pattern is seen in osteosarcoma
Chondroid
Usually easier to recognize cartilage vs osteoid by the presence of focal stippled or flocculent densities, or in lobulated areas, as rings or arcs of calcifications.
Bone Tumors
Histologic Evaluation
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Most important histologic features to consider:
- Pattern of growth (eg., sheets of cells vs. lobular architecture)
- Cytologic characteristics of the cells
- Presence of necrosis and/or hemorrhage and/or cystic change
- Matrix production
- Relationship between the lesional tissue and the surrounding bone (eg., sharp border vs. infiltrative growth)
- Dx of bone tumor requires clinical, radiological, and histologic appearances
- Biologically different types of tumors may have overlapping histologic features
Osteoid Osteoma
Overview
Benign, bone-producing neoplasm
- Small size w/ limited growth potential
- Lesional tissue ⇒ “nidus”
- Small radiolucent focus < 1 cm
- Either within the cortex or adjacent to it
- Predominantly in males 10-25 y/o
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50% of cases in the femur and tibia
- Femoral neck is one of the most common anatomic sites
Osteoid Osteoma
Effects
- Causes extensive reactive changes in surrounding tissues
- Produces prostaglandin/prostocyclin-mediated effects
- Induces exuberant, reactive, periosteal sclerosis, soft tissue edema and pain
Osteoid Osteoma
Gross Appearance
- If nidus removed intact ⇒ circumscribed portion of red, trabecular bone < 1 cm in size
- Either within the cortex or adjacent to it
- XR shows a small, intracortical, radiolucent focus (nidus), surrounded by dense reactive periosteal bone
Osteoid Osteoma
Microscopic Appearance
Lesional tissue (“nidus”) well-demarcated from the surrounding sclerotic bone
Composed of thin, often interconnected spicules of osteoid and woven bone rimmed by osteoblasts
Osteoclast-like giant cells can be seen
Intervening fibrous stroma shows prominent vascularity
Both osteoblasts and stromal cells are without significant nuclear atypia
Osteoid Osteoma
Differential Diagnosis
- Osteoblastoma
- Intracortical osteosarcoma ⇒ significant nuclear atypia and invasive growth pattern are indicative of malignancy
Osteoblastoma
Overview
- Larger than 1.5 cm
- Slowly and progressively growing neoplasms
- Term “aggressive osteoblastoma” is applied to large, locally destructive lesions that mimic a low-grade osteosarcoma on microscopic examination
- Peak incidence during 2nd and 3rd decades of life
Osteoblastoma
Clinical Behavior
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Tend to arise in the axial skeleton
- Involves spine and sacrum in ~ 40% of cases
- 2nd most frequent site is the mandible, followed by other craniofacial bones
- Do not produce prostaglandin/prostocyclin-mediated tissue reaction
- May grow to a considerable size ⇒ bone expansion and cortical destruction
- Recurrences in ~ 20% of cases
- No metastases
Osteoblastoma
Appearance
Radiology:
- XR ⇒ well-circumscribed, low metaphyseal, radiolucent lesion containing matrix-type radiodensities
- No sclerotic rim
- Affects long bones and vertebrae
Histology:
- Resembles osteoid osteoma
- Osteoblasts and osteoclast-like giant cells surround interconnected spicules of osteoid and woven bone
- Intervening fibrous stroma shows prominent vascularity
- No significant cellular atypia
Osteosarcoma
Overview
Malignant tumor composed of neoplastic mesenchymal cells synthesizing osteoid or immature bone.
- Presence of malignant osteoid distinguishes an osteosarcoma from other sarcomas
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Preferentially affects rapidly growing parts of the skeleton
- Distal femur and proximal tibia (50% of cases)
- Proximal humerus
- Elderly ⇒ tends to involve axial skeleton and flat bones
- Metaphysis is the most common site in long bones
Osteosarcoma
Epidemiology
- Most common primary sarcoma of bone
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Bimodal age distribution:
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Peak incidence in 2nd decade of life ⇒ most active skeletal growth
- < 5% of cases occur in children younger than 10 years
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In the elderly ⇒ usu. seen in association with a pre-existing bone disease
- Paget’s, radiation osteitis, or bone infarct
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Peak incidence in 2nd decade of life ⇒ most active skeletal growth
Osteosarcoma
Classification
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Subdivided into:
- Intramedullary (largest group)
- Intracortical
- Surface osteosarcomas
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Subclassified into high-grade and low-grade
- Based on the degree of differentiation
Osteosarcoma
Appearance
Histologic findings can be extremely variable
- Composed of highly pleomorphic cells and haphazard deposits of osteoid
- Anaplastic cellular features and mitotic activity
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Malignant osteoid:
- Lace-like pattern
- Haphazardly arranged trabeculae of woven bone
- ± Foci of neoplastic cartilage
May appear identical to MFH ⇒ minimal osteoid production
May contain masses of malignant cartilage or numerous giant cells
Osteosarcoma
Histologic Variants
- Osteoblastic (≈ 50%)
- Chondroblastic
- Fibroblastic
- Telangietatic
- Small cell
- Giant cell
Osteosarcoma
Disease Course and Treatment
- One of the most aggressive and highly lethal tumors
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Most powerful predictor of outcome is the histologic response of the tumor to pre-operative chemotherapy
- Tumor necrosis following tx graded according to the following system:
- Grade 1 - 0-50% necrosis
- Grade 2 - 51-90%
- Grade 3 - 91-99%
- Grade 4 - 100% necrosis
- ≥ 90% tumor necrosis ⇒ nearly 90% 5-year disease-free survival
- < 90% tumor necrosis ⇒ 14% 5-year disease-free survival in pts with
- Tumor necrosis following tx graded according to the following system:
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Metastases extremely common
- Usu. to lungs, bones, and liver